Princess of the Rogue
by An Apple Bleeds At Twilight
Summary: When the new King of Thieves loses his queen to death, he orders his daughter to be taken to 'Baron Cooper', to be raised and to be protected from the life of a theif. But when duty calls, who cannot answer? CHAP 5 UP!
1. Chapter 1

**Princess of the Rogue**

**A/N: I know I should be working on another chap for: _Snowing_, and I am, but I need a little time to relax and think! I'll get on with it once I have a few ideas!**

**Prologue**

"_Every goodbye is the birth of a memory"_

**- Dutch Proverb**

A young man sat in an inn, pacing the floor, it had been six hours since his lady went into labor and the midwife was doing all she could. The man could see how much it hurt his lady to save the thread of life she now struggled to grasp, but she just hung on. Barely.

"Come on now, push" The midwife encouraged. "I see the lil one's head now, again lady, and push as hard as you can"

The woman screamed in agony, a sound that made her husband cringe. "Please," she begged, "please end this pain, oh Goddess please!" she yelled again and fell silent, weeping, as a midwife cleaned and wrapped the bawling newborn in a blanket.

The woman smiled weakly at her husband and babe, feeling her life-force quiver, she whispered the child's name. "Elaura. My sweet little Elaura"

The man glanced down, horrified, at his lady's pale, composed face. "No." he murmured, tears making tracks down his scarred cheeks. "No, gods no" he bent to cradle his lady against is chest, chest heaving with sobs.

"Yer Majesty?" the midwife placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Take Elmira, take her to Baron Cooper. Tell him nothing of what has come to pass, tell him only that Lionhart sends her in a cloak of black"

"Lionhart?" asked the midwife.

"He'll know, he'll know" the man whispered, "Make haste for a storm's comin"

The midwife gazed sadly down at the babe, held in her arms and wrapped in a tattered blanket and turned away from the grieving man and the departed woman.

"I suppose it's all up to this 'Baron' to decide your fate now, child." the midwife sighed, looking at the baby's pale honey-colored eyes, and added, as an afterthought, "Princess of the Rogue"

**A/N: Any Ideas on where this should go are _great_!**

**- AW1**


	2. Chapter 2: Baron Cooper

Chapter 2 

The midwife rode into Pirates Swoop, cloak billowing out behind her as the wind whipped at her face along with the tears of the sky. They were weeping for many that night, the midwife guessed. The child tucked in the crook of her arm was unnaturally silent, while white lightning and roaring thunder split the sky like glass. Pulling the cloak tighter, she guided the horse with her knees as she adjusted the child's tattered blanket. Taking the reins again, she slowed the horse to a walk and told the watchmen her business for appearing. The gates creaked open and she rode inside, deciding to bring Elaura personally to the Baron.

Raising a gnarled hand to knock, the midwife looked down at the babe's face, so innocent, and sighed as she knocked.

A servant opened the door and let her in. "I shall tell Master Cooper guests have come." With that, the servant hurried off.

The servant quickly knocked on the Baron's bedchamber door and waited for an answer. George answered, looking tired.

"A guest, Master Cooper. She brings news from Lionhart." Said the servant.

"It's just George, no formalities for an old thief. Lionhart sends a messenger?" George asked as the servant nodded. "Tell this messenger I will be down shortly."

George watched the thief go and chuckled as he made himself more presentable, closed the door softly to not wake Alanna, who had just gotten the twins to sleep, and headed downstairs.

Watching the former King of Thieves as he descended the steps to meet the midwife, she still saw the air of quiet command the former thief had carried in his earlier years. She bowed, still considering him a king; "I bring a message from His Majesty, King Lionhart of the Rogue. He says his wife has passed into the Black God's realm and wishes his daughter to be safe from his life. He could think of no one else better to raise her then you and the Lioness." The midwife uncovered the babe from her cloak and smiled as the Baron looked on. "His Majesty's Lionhart and his Lady Cartha 's daughter, Elaura." "Lionhart trusts you, Baron Cooper, do not add your ears to his collection."

George nodded and took the sleeping child from the midwife's arms as she shuffled out, back into the rain.


	3. Chapter 3: Explanations

Chapter 3 

Alanna rolled over and sat up in bed, "George?" she grumbled, violet Gift lighting up his face.

"Yes, lass?"

"What did the visitor want at this hour?" Alanna studied his face closely but it remained unreadable. George sighed and decided to tell his wife. "The current King of Thieves, Lionhart has entrusted us with the care of his daughter."

"Why us?" Alanna raised a skeptical brow.

"He trusts no one else, lass. He wishes Elaura to be protected from his life."

Alanna rolled her eyes, "Another child to care for, when I've got my hands full already."

"He's got no other choice but to send her here…" George's voice was soft.

Alanna sighed and extinguished the light of her Gift, "She may stay as long as you don't teach her to throw knives. I'll have to personally gut you for that."

George chuckled, "You break me fragile heart." He replied in mock-hurt.

"Your fragile heart?"

"Aye, me fragile heart."

Alanna grinned and threw her pillow at him, "Go to sleep." she laughed.


	4. Chapter 4: She's Different Then Us

Chapter 4 

When Elaura was six, she loved tagging around with Thom, who was three years older, then her. Thom didn't mind her company; it kept him off the fact that the little girl wasn't really his sister.

Thom watched his mother ride down to another battle through a window, face sad. Elaura came behind him and tugged on his sleeve. The boy looked down, his hazel-green eyes meeting Elaura's pale honey ones.

"She'll come back." She whispered to her brother. "She always does."

"I know." Thom answered, voice emotionless. He squatted so he and she were eye-to-eye. "Why don't you go play with Aly or Alan?" "They've got more interesting things to do then me."

The girl shook her head, "Nope. You do."

"Staring out a window all day?"

Elaura laughed, "No!" "C'mon Thom let's go play knights and dragon!" she yanked on her brother's sleeve again and Thom fell forward. Elaura laughed, "You can't catch me now!" she ran into another room, black braid flying behind her.

Thom grinned and picked himself up from the floor, hearing Elaura's giggling coming from the other room. It didn't matter that she wasn't his sister, hell, not even that she was even adopted. She was still a Cooper like him and his brother and sister.

" 'Laura!" Thom called, searching for her.

He heard a scream from the other room and hurried to the sound. When he got to Aly's room he burst out laughing, as did his father who picked up a pouting Aly. "She messed up my drawings!"

Elaura and her clothes were splattered in ink.

George helped Elaura with a bath and left Aly and Thom to play.

"Elaura is different then us." Aly whispered as they cleaned up Aly's papers.

Thom shot his sister a warning look, "Don't tell her that!"

"Why?"

"Because…I don't know, just don't."

"Alright." Alianne nodded, putting her papers in a small desk.

Alan came in, hiding laughter.

"What's so funny?" Thom demanded.

"Maude's having a fit over Elaura. She said that Elaura was very stubborn like ma." Alan grinned.

Thom smiled but his smile was quickly replaced by a worried look. Aly saw it first.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He lied.

Aly frowned, "I know your lying."

Alan cuffed him on the back of the head.

"Ow!" Thom rubbed his head, "Didn't ma tell you not to hit me before she left?"

"That's to help you spit it out." His brother explained with a smirk.

Thom rolled his eyes, "It's Elaura. Is she realizing that she's different?" "Does she know?"

Alan and Aly exchanged a glance.

"Maybe she does." Whispered Aly.

"We don't know for sure." Alan replied.

"She's still a Cooper. She's still our sister." Thom murmured, willing to believe his words.

His siblings nodded.

"We won't let anyone else take her." Alan said, fiercly.

"Even through she's different from us she's still one of us, right Thom?" Aly questioned.

Thom nodded.


	5. Chapter 5: Meeting Lionhart at the Dove

Chapter 5 

**A/N: Elaura still thinks that she's not adopted, they haven't told her yet.**

The years passed and Elaura Cooper of Pirates Swoop grew into a young woman of sixteen. Her foster brother, Thom, now nineteen, was staying in the City of the Gods and George had come back that spring, bringing news of Aly's whereabouts in the Copper Isles. Alan was traveling with their adoptive uncle, Raoul, as his squire.

Which left Elaura to sulk back at the Swoop. With George on another 'mission' and Alanna in Corus, there wasn't really anything to do, except sit and stare out the window. She could've gone down to the stables and rode her mare or gone out to the practice courts, but she wanted to get her mind busy. A challenge.

Looking around the halls, she checked the halls and snuck into George's study, honey-colored eyes quickly scanning around the room. She smirked and reached for a sheathed dagger, "He did say he was going to teach me today."

Testing its weight, and pressing the tip to her finger to test sharpness, as her foster father had taught her, she took the hilt and flicked her wrist, the dagger landing knife-first in the door. Raising an eyebrow, she grinned, "I certainly have watched him do this far too many times."

Hearing a noise, and brief chatter, she quickly unstuck the knife, sheathed it, and put it back on his desk. Turning to stare out the window, she turned to the door as George came in. "You're back early." She observed, playing innocent.

George grinned, "You've begun practicing already?"

Elaura crossed her arms over her chest, "Wasn't I supposed to learn the ways of the streets?" She cocked her head, "Or are you neglecting your promises?"

"I knew you couldn't resist gettin' your hands on one of those daggers before I came back." He laughed, hazel eyes dancing.

Elaura grinned, in the years she had lived at the Swoop, she had grown close to George and loved it when he taught her his former craft: The works of a thief.

"And whys that?" she asked.

"I figured it was in your blood."

"Me? A thief?" Elaura shook her head, "It can't be 'in my blood', Father. I'm a noble through and through."

George just chuckled.

0o0

A week later, Elaura rode through Corus, and, as she came to an inn, took the slip of paper that George had given her. On it was this: "Go to the Dancing Dove. Ask for Lionhart, and tell him Baron Cooper sent you, he'll know what you mean."

Elaura looked up and nodded, the faded sign of a dove hung on a sign above her. Taking a deep breath, she composed herself, "Here goes." She knew this place was full of thieves and crooks and she'd better hide her purse. It was a relatively small purse and held only a few coins, enough for a drink at least, and she rolled her eyes as she tucked it inside her breast-band, between her breasts, yet easy to reach inconspicuously.

Walking inside, the smell of ale, and smoke was overpowering and the noise was deafening. Walking up to the bartender, she plastered on a blank expression, "I'm looking for Lionhart, have you seen him?"

The bartender peered at her his face skeptical, "Yeah, I've seen him. What's your business here, lady?"

"On a mission for the Rogue." Was all she said, it _was_ pretty much the whole truth.

After pointing to a lone table in the corner, the bartender offered her a tankard of lemonade. When she reached for her purse and pulled it out, the bartender shook his head, "It's on the house."

Nodding, she took the drink and sat where the bartender had pointed. A man sat, staring into a tankard, tracing the rim with a finger. Elaura set the mug down and sat as the man looked up. "Are you Lionhart?" she asked.

"Yes." The man was cautious, she realized, and it would be tricky to get information from him. Her next statement was asked carefully, "I've been looking for you. Baron Cooper sent me."

The man looked up sharply, "Baron Cooper?" Elaura noticed a flash of sadness in his eyes before he took her hand, "What news does he bring about her?"

"Her?" Elaura eyebrows rose.

"Elaura." Was the thief's answer and the woman felt her knees go weak and her throat dry up.

"You must be mistaken, sir." She managed to whisper, looking up and seeing Lionhart's back tense.

"Your eyes…" he murmured, shaking his head. "A woman I once knew had those same eyes. She's dead now, but, oh, do I ever remember."

Elaura felt her stomach churn and the room spin and she gripped the table for support. Quickly standing, she mumbled apologies and hurried out.

Mounting her horse, she rode at a gallop, back to the Swoop, tears blinding her. _"What in Mithros' name was the man talking about?"_

Wiping her eyes, she calmed down and shook her head, slowing the horse to a canter, "He spoke as if the Elaura he was talking about was his _daughter_!" "I'm _not_ a thief, I am part of Pirates Swoop!"


End file.
